As a Palestinian woman born in the United States, my work reflects the experience of never having truly been home—of awaiting some unknown beauty—of longing for a place that is alive only in my mother’s eyes. My paintings and drawings document my own existence and the existence of a culture that is often denied, either through direct portraiture of my own family or a more abstract depiction of patterns and colors to resurrect beautiful memories and replace a much harsher reality.

The textural combination of fabric, wood, wood stains, acrylics, ink, charcoal, hand-made papers, and dried plant materials create images that reveal a story over a span of time. Through this layering, the pieces become an imprint and a record—at once nostalgic and historical.
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An Essay by Chris Khoury, written for my Solo Exhibition at Cuentos:

As I stare at the work of Hanah Diab, I immediately
get lost in an intimate and sometimes awkward
and uncomfortable world she brings to light in her
paintings. While not confrontational, she pulls the
viewer into her personal world, that of her family,
and the imagined serendipity conveyed in the titles
and imagery. Her sister Nisreen purses her lips for
a kiss in “smokeless fire” while Yasmeen looks
upward and away against a stark metallic
background asking “Would you still love me if I
broke your finger this way?” In “The Gift,” another
portrait of Yasmeen, the plaintive subject is saying
“khuth” (Ar., “take”) as she gestures toward a
shiny magical orb. Hanah’s art invited me in with
the welcoming warmth of the best Arab customs.
But once inside, a feeling overcame me that I must
confront my own personal wounds and conflicts
with those so dear and close to us, as family or
otherwise. Her work reminds you that you don’t
have to be alone, but that inside humor shared by
sisters and a silent glance can be uncomfortable
and comforting at the same time. Her ink drawing
“Borders” best distills this sense of quiet emotion
and tender embrace. There is nothing absurd about
her work; instead, each piece has its own mood,
governed by her media choices and techniques
ranging from gold leaf, handmade papers, to
washed out backgrounds that simultaneously color
the skin. But please don’t take my word for it, try
to imagine for yourself…
Christopher Khoury
October 20th, 2007
Columbus, Ohio